Ashkelon Update

The Resilient Community of Netzach Yisrael

This morning I attended Shabbat services at Kehillat Netzach Yisrael in Ashkelon. Netzach Yisrael is a Masorti (traditional) congregation which has operated since 1967 in this southern Israeli city. My synagogue in Ottawa, Kehillat Beth Israel Congregation has a long standing connection with the Netzach Yisrael community. Masorti congregations in Israel belong to the global Masorti movement which is affiliated with the United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) in North America.

On Friday night we were graciously hosted for dinner by some new Ashkelon friends, and had a chance to meet with Netzach Yisrael’s Rabbi, Paul Aberman. The conversation was lively and spirited. Our new friends have been coming to Ashkelon for over two decades, dividing their time between California and Israel. They decided that with their children grown, they wanted to devote their time and resources to supporting the Jewish state.

Many synagogue members have family members who are serving in combat. Like everyone in Israel, the emotional burden of the war is personal, pervasive and ongoing. Ashkelon is also a community which has suffered frequent rocket attacks. The people here have gotten used to it, but they also bear the burden of having lived for years near people who try regularly to harm them.

As I was walking to services this morning, a siren went off. As I had been instructed by several people since I got here, I got down on the path and covered my head. As I was lying on the ground, I heard the loud boom of an iron dome interceptor being launched from nearby. After a couple of minutes, the siren stopped and I continued my walk to synagogue. I arrived just as the members of the congregation were returning to the sanctuary from the bomb shelter.

Lying face down on the ground, I got a brief taste of what like has been life for the people of Ashkelon for close to two decades. It is disconcerting to realize that someone nearby in Gaza was launching high explosives in my general direction, in hopes of inflicting harm on anyone who happened to be in Ashkelon. I heard later that the IDF had located and killed the terrorist in northern Gaza who did that. I was glad to hear that.

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After the Torah service this morning, Rabbi Aberman taught us about a disagreement described in Talmud Masechet Brachot, over what kind of people should be allowed to study in the Beit Midrash (study hall). The parsha this week describes the creation of the holy ark which was covered with gold both on the inside and on the outside. In response to this, Rabban Gamliel said that only scholars who were perfect in both their motivation and their demeanor (gold inside and outside) should be admitted. But this requirement was eventually abolished and everyone was allowed in. The problem is that if only ideal people are permitted, the Beit Midrash would be empty. If we insist on perfection, we will not even achieve the good. Therefore everyone who aspires to improve torah knowledge should be welcome in the halls of study.

This reminded me of a discussion we had the previous evening at the Shabbat table. Our hostess spoke of someone she knew who was a pacifist and said even one civilian casualty in Gaza is too many. She pointed out that if this were the standard, then Israel would be powerless to take any measures against the horrific atrocities committed on October 7. The strategy of our enemies is hiding behind civilians and putting their military assets in hospitals, mosques and schools. If the laws of war are interpreted so stringently that nations trying to fight lawfully are prevented from fighting at all, then only war criminals will be able to succeed in war, and we will be ruled by the most brutal and ruthless among us.

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Beauties of the Shore; View from Ashkelon National Park — photo by David Roytenberg

Ashkelon is a spectacularly beautiful place. This afternoon we walked along the cliffs over the sea and watched the waves breaking along the shore. We are staying in a small apartment on a street called Yefei Nof, (beauties of the shore). The street is well named.

After Shabbat we listened to the address by Benjamin Netanyahu in which he pledged to continue the war against Hamas until victory is achieved. I agree that Israel must not agree to anything that allows Hamas to retain power in Gaza. The US Administration is heavily promoting a hypothetical security arrangement with Israel and the Arab states that will involve the recognition of Israel and the integration of Israel into the region. The price of this according to the Americans is a path toward a Palestinian State.

Recognition of Israel by the rest of the Arab states would be a great achievement. But I remember, even if the American administration does not Israel has suffered horrific harm as a result of the risks it has taken in the past to create a path toward a Palestinian State. This is a situation in which Israelis are rightfully skeptical of what the US administration is selling. It’s hard to imagine an arrangement for the territories Israel captured in 1967, including both Gaza and Judaea and Samaria, that would not be subverted by bad actors sponsored by Israel’s enemies. Those enemies are not parties to this proposed accord and Israel must have the final word on whether any proposed arrangement will meet its security requirement.

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